This cookbook is awesome. I knew it was going to be a keeper, before I even had a copy, just from browsing through the sneak peak pages that you can see on Amazon. I have so many things flagged to try and each time I flip through the book, I find something else that sounds good(like the rabbit scones that I found just now - a carrot cake scone with a cream cheese glaze - yum). I have already made four of the recipes with two more planned this week. Each recipe in this book contains at least one ingredient that is a "shortcut" ingredient, such as crescent rolls, cake mixes, canned/frozen vegetables and store-bought roasted chicken.Not only does this book have 225 simplified recipes, but it is full of fun tips on the bottom of each page and I love the pages of "Common Ingredient Substitutions" and "Common Herb and Spice Substitutions" in the back of the book, like what to use in place of half-and-half, whipping cream and cream cheese and how to make your own cake flour or self-rising flour. I am always searching the web for both ingredient and spice substitutions. Now, I can just pull out this book and have a whole list right in front of me.

This Strawberry-Coconut Pound Cake was delicious and my house smelled amazing while it was baking, plus you gotta love that bright pink color! It is dense and moist, yet it feels light while you are eating it. I served it with some coconut flavored whipped cream and fresh blueberries. I can't wait to share with you some of the other great recipes I have tried out of this cookbook. Make sure to come back throughout the week to check them out!

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes; invert onto cake plate. Serve plain, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or with a dollop of whipped topping and some fresh fruit on the side. Serves 12.

My favorite kitchen shortcut is lining my pan with tin foil when I make meatballs or other things that make a mess...easy clean-up! Another is to cook a whole chicken for Sunday dinner, then use the leftover chicken meat in meals the rest of the week!

When I have a large salad to make, that I know will be served soon, I use a chefs knife on a cutting board and cut the lettuce rather than break it. It's a different look, but it passes on many occasions.

My favorite short cut is to make cookies with just a cake mix, one egg, and one stick of butter (any kind of add-ins optional). Make into 3 huge cookies on pizza pans and bake. They make great gifts. Or just make into regular cookies.

One of my shortcuts is to purchase precooked bacon. I hate frying it up or microwaving it because it is so messy. The precooked stuff is handy to slap on a chicken sandwich or a burger and you don't pay for all the fat you will be cooking off anyway. Karen in Breezy Point

My favorite shortcut is spraying my measuring cups with nonstick spray before measuring sticky ingredients like molasses, honey, corn syrup, etc. It makes for a much easier clean up and it comes out very easily!

The invention of non-stick foil is fantastic.Using it to tent turkey or chicken prevents that good crispy skin from sticking. I have it lining all my cookies sheets for sheet cakes, cookies, fish & chicken strips, frozen potatoes, etc. I even line my loaf pans with it for meatloaf and quick breads. And any recipe that calls for parchement paper...viola...you can use non-stick foil. And to top it off....it protcts pans and makes clean up a breeze.

My favorite shortcut is to pop popcorn in the microwave using cheap kernels in a paper sandwich bag; then to quickly spray it with butter flavored PAM and salt; tastes just like movie theater popcorn and so delicious, also lo-fat!

My favorite shortcut is to cut up extras of things and put them in the fridge or freeze them. Like onions, if I need to cut up some onion for a recipe, I cut up the whole onion and put it in the fridge. I also will split out things like tomato paste and freeze them in 1 TB portions. Another favorite is chipolte peppers, they add such flavor to Mexican dishes! Open the can, use one or two and freeze the rest.

My favorite shortcut in the kitchen is to make extra pancakes on Saturday morning and freeze the extra ones for an easy and fast breakfast during the week! I take out the frozen pancakes and pop them in the microwave for a few seconds and breakfast si served in a snapkeshakeke@aol.com

My favorite shortcut has to do with salads. I buy bagged lettuce and tomatoes, but go and get a to-go order from Fresh Choice (Salad Bar) with all kinds of salad goodies in it and make a super good salad!Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

One of my favorite shortcuts to to mix up a batch of cookies and freeze the cookie dough in balls. When I have unexpected guests or just want fresh home made baked cookies I can just take a couple cookie dough balls out of the freezer and bake. mmmmm and the husband also loves this shortcut!

YUM, I'm just here to admire the recipe and invite you to my link party! http://meandmysweets.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/my-sweet-party-chocolate-cake-love.html. Link this up or a have meat-free recipe! Found you via Manic Monday, now following ;)

My favorite shortcut is to line my baking dishes with foil before baking. Especially with brownies, this way I don't get any of the cooked on mess. And my new favorite shortcut is to roast a chicken on the weekend and shred all the meat to use for mine and my little one's lunches all week!!!

My favorite shortcut is making 2 of the same dish. I make 2 dinners of the same thing on the same night and freeze the 2nd dinner. Then I can just go to the freezer and pull out dinner for the night. It is very convenient on nights that are schedules are tight.

My favorite shortcut is to use parchment paper for baking cookies. Not only does it give a nice and even brown on the bottom but you don't have to wash the cookie sheets! Also, I use 7UP for making biscuits instead of water which makes them so fluffy and good and I also use a pizza cutter instead of a knife to cut them to bake. It doesn't tear them apart.

My favorite shortcut i have in the kitchen is when I make chicken broccoli alfredo. the secret is to add the frozen broccoli to my noodles when they are boiling...everything gets cooked together. Then i just spoon the creamy chicken sauce over the whole thing and enjoy!!!

My favorite shortcut in the kitchen is to have little helpers. It a teaching time and cuts my prep time in half, they do the searching for me, I measure and put in cups, my kidlets or grandson pours (dumps) them into the big bowl and we mix, dance, and wiggle ((giggle))! Then I have lots of help cleaning up too!

Thank you for all of your blogging, and delicious recipes. I have multiple friends that I have following your blog and we all compare desserts, recipes, and well...once again giggles.